What did you do in the garden today?

[BarredBuff]

We have poured amendments in the soil, mostly sweat. LOL the garden soil is finally good soil. Can’t wait to see what you plant!

That's the key to just about every gardening challenge is good soil amendments.

 

[Mini Horses]

The pictures are from a REdiscing of this "garden". Places are planted and show green in there. Already have pole beans (KY wonder) 3, CPs worth, 18 crookneck squash 10 zucs, 17 eggplant, 15 peppers, 38 tomato plants (3 kinds), and 100' of lima beans, 40" potatoes, 25" ea of radish & carrots. As you can see, there is a huge space waiting! But grass keeps coming back strong in this old, established pasture area.

Today I raked the place. Had 2 front end loaders of grass/roots.

Probably that much more in there as I work it. Home tomorrow hoping to do more. Rain all week!! So don't know if I will get more done or not. Hope rain is light to none tomorrow. I need to disc/till and rake again. Hopefully, THEN I will have most of the grass/roots out. It has been an enormous job. This is 2nd time to rework it. Tons of seed to go out. Hills of melons, sunflowers, chard, pumpkins & butternut squash need to be transplanted.

I actually thought, as posted earlier, I would need to buy a rake for the tractor. $500! Instead, I used an almost new pull behind thing I had for a mower.....It has the long, hard rods like fingers. Wasn't sure it would do but, turned out to be slower, lot of off & on mower, stop & go. Great results...and it levels the big ruts a disc leaves. Something "like" that for the tractor would have been great. I may be able to roto till now, vice the disc, which would be smoother -- maybe. Just shoot me! Talk about a full time job...this is it.

 

[flowerbug]

today is an official day of rest. so light duty stuff only, watering.

yesterday i needed all of my energy to pick and process the first large picking of strawberries. that was enough.

 

[Mini Horses]

Lovely berries.

Today -- yes, rain! Not hard but slow & steady. Good garden stuff if you have seeded, plants growing, etc. Well, I'd have loved more seeds out but won't happen for another week. 4-5 days of this....then, some dryout time.

Flip side -- as I walked thru this AM, I picked 7 cherry tomatoes and see that I have a couple squash & a zuc that should be ready end of week.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Nice, nice berries! You making preserves?

 

[flowerbug]

Nice, nice berries! You making preserves?

yes, so good to see a nice crop come in.

all of those were mashed up for making shortcakes for about 10 people (and extra for us to eat of course ) that will be doing a family gathering in a week or so. i probably won't have enough berries coming in all at once by then so i figured i better put these aside now while i have them.

the next batch i harvest should be about the same amount in a day or two and those will be put up as freezer jam, which is the only kind of strawberry jam that i like - i have a relative who really appreciates when i make this for him too so i'll set aside most of what i make for him and for giving away as i'm not eating as much sweet stuff and sugar any longer, but i do want some for me on hand as a treat too once in the middle of winter. if we take some of the freezer jam and mix it with the fresh store bought or frozen store bought strawberries we can have a reasonable tasting dessert. in the middle of Dec-Jan-Feb it is nice to have something remind you of warmer weather and sunshine.

these are all from one strawberry patch inside the fenced gardens. i used to have four large patches including the patch inside the fence, but once the deer discovered them i've never been able to get much of a harvest from anything outside the fenced areas. i used to make 25 pints of freezer jam and then have to do it again a few days later and still had berries i could have other people come pick to give away.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

That's awesome! My six plants gave me enough berries to make me want more lol. I need to dedicate a space for 'em.

 

[baymule]

Today I pulled more weeds. I’m winning...... slowly and with a lot of sweat, but I’m winning. A neighbor boy came over and we cleaned fence row, pulled up trumpet flower vines and he raked up pine cones. We had lunch and I took him home. The front door just slammed, it was my tired butt, finally dragging in the house.

 

[flowerbug]

That's awesome! My six plants gave me enough berries to make me want more lol. I need to dedicate a space for 'em.

they are not a low maintenance crop. you do need to work on them once in a while and every once in a while you have to restart the whole patch over because the plants will be less productive in time and weeds can be hard to get out so it is often better to just turn it all under and start over... i'm at the high point for this patch, and i hope i can get one or two more years out of it before i have to do it over again. it is much easier to redo things though when you don't have a lot of other projects going on...

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Need to reset one bed of carrots (danvers). They came up well, but then... just totally disappeared. Will rake up bed, add some chicken compost, and try again. May give a dusting of Sevin, since... I suspect that there was foul play involved.